The overall purpose of this conference is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, information, and techniques in areas of importance to the study of elastin function, structure, and metabolism. The topics chosen for the 1983 Gordon Reseach Conference focus on 1) improving our understanding of elastin's role in biology and pathobiology and 2) improving our understanding of the complexities of elastin chemistry and structure. For example, it is now clear that key features of lung and vascular tissue development are related to events that are dependent upon the synthesis and accumulation of elastin. Chronic obstructive lung and atherosclerosis have as major components in their respective sequelae defects in elastin fiber integrity. Thus, emphasis is given to elastin gene expression and its controls as well as to the importance of elastin in lung and vascular injury. Attention will also be given to elastin's role as an elastomer and to events important to the post-translational modification (enzymatic and chemical) of elastin. As in the past, it is anticipated that the proposed meeting will bring together basic scientists from a variety of disciplines, because of the novel chemical features of elastin and its importance to major diseases in man.